NASP Publications

Identifying Quality in Preschool Education: Progress and Challenge

Jan N. Hughes

pp. 48—53

Domínguez, Vitiello, Maier, and Greenfield (2010) have conducted a methodologically sophisticated study describing the growth of learning behavior among Head Start children. By doing so, they contribute to a growing body of evidence that holds promise for realizing the potential of preschool education to prepare all children for a successful school entry. Recent research has demonstrated the benefits of preschool education for early school success and for narrowing the achievement gap between racial/ethnic and income groups of students (Bogard & Takanishi, 2005; Gormley, Gayler, Phillips, & Dawson, 2005). As a result, most states now provide funding for preschool education, at least for students at risk for academic difficulties (Barnett, Hustedt, Friedman, Boyd, & Ainsworth, 2007).